Pocketknife



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F. VINCENT POCKETKNIFE Filed July 2, 1921 /Z/ INYENTORy fw# BY @www Ommvdavm May l, 1923.

Fig.. 7, a pian View `Patented May l, 1923.

. FRANZ VINCENT, or BRIDGEPCRT, CONNECTICUT.

yPOCKET:'{Nrrri i Applicatonled July 2, 1921-. Serial No. 482,060.

To all lwhom t may cow/cem.' Y

Be it yknown that I, FRANZ VINCENT, a citizen of the United States, residing' Iat 1140 Park Avenue,-Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut. have inventwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ay pocket knife,

havingv a blade which may slide into the handle and be enclosed thereby whenfnot in use. 1 One ofthe objects fof lthe invention is to providea sliding blade with a head or shank tting closel `the interior ofthe casing so as to be hel lirmly in operative position. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved locking mechanism for controlling `the :position ofthe blade in retracted and extended positions, and also an improved meansl for controlling the locking mechanism.l Other objects of the invention will ,become evident lfrom a detailed description thereof.

vReferring to the accompanying draw 1n sl iig. 1 is a partial sectionalelevation of my improved knife with the blade extended;

Fig. 2, a longitudinal central section at right angles `to the section in Fig. 1;

-Fig 3, a section similar to Fig. v2, but showm the locking mechanism released and the bla e partly retracted into the handle;

Fig. 4, `a section similar to Figs. 2 and 3 showing thebladewhollyretracted into the handlev Fig.w5, a transverse :section substantially.

on the line 5-5 of Fig.j,2;

y .,Fig. 6, anv endy view of the casing at vthe knife blade endg' of the casing at the otherend;and w w ,Fig. 8 is ya `transverse section substantially on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

.The casing .10 `is preferably formed of a` single piece .of seamless tubingclosed at one end 11, which end 11 is provided with a slot 12 through which the lblade 13 passes. The. tube or. casing is preferably attened on op-` .positersides as at 14, to giveit a substanv allv. elliptical shape in cross sect ion.-:x

y asliding fit1 in order that-the blade-may .xT-he blade yis preferably formed in one 1piece with theshank or headv 15, this shank `being shaped, -vastshown in Fig. 5, tov lit the interiorofthe casing 10,;butthis should .be

freely move longitudinally of the casing .to

citaat extended-0r retracted. positioaaed' yielding of the `knife blade in use. The oblong-shape of the shank and .handle prevents ,turning of the shank in the handle. ed an Improvement in Pocketknives,v of v Secured within the casing at -one side' Aof the closed end 'is a spring *lockingy element 16, the endpf which is'bent overfat 17andis secured t0 the closedyend inv any nected to thecasing in such aimannerthat the free, end 18 vtends to move toward thel adjacentffiat side 19rv of the casing, Interspring 16 is lanced anda portion thereof bent outwardly to form a shoulder 20, and

on the opposite side ofthe spring from this shoulder, .so as toextend above the surface .mediate its endsat la distance from the jendfv lequal to the length ofthe shank 15', the

ofthe spring,y is a cam lug 21.l Located'bef, tween the spring 16 and the' flat-side 19 of thecasing is a longitudinally extending Hat vreleasing bar `22 provided at itsu inner end with an Aupstanding.rib'23 adapted to cop-actA with the cam lug 21 upon the manipulationl Of thebar longitudinally of the casing .-to

-control the position of spring 16 ina manvner presently to be described. At its other end, the releasing bar22isbent`at right 'angiesA to forman operating finger-.24 extend- .Y

ing between. the legs25'of`a substantially? `l,lshaped spring. support26. This-'spring supportis inserted. within the open.end-of the casing 10 and may besecured therein,

"curing it in position, and, if desired, Va pin l withpthe free ends .of theylegs 25 extending outwardly, by. any suitable means, prefermay-be employedto limit its movement inl AwardlyA of the. casing.y VA coilspringf27`is mounted :betweenthe closed .portion of; thev support26 and the finger 24.1an'd tends to move the ,releasingbar 22 longitudinally/fof vthe .casing away lfromthe blade end or'fup- .wardly, as ,shown in Figs. 1*.,2 .and.3.' ,-The openfend of :the casing is closed by means f. ofv a cap 28 provided with anlelongated slot `29. Thev sidesoffthis cap embracefthe legs `25 ofthe spring'support `andais` securedfto' .the end: of; the.casingby a,v forced-:titgwithv ,these V leguifsQ-I Thel legs -25 y of the vspring sup-A l portarecurvedto "fit the inner curved walls `:of the'i z'zasingll()y and' oap'f 28,"fan`d ythe body- Portman aut away; atari to *foliar/m for the passage of Abar 22.- Abut-ton having a flat portion 30 projecting through the slot 29 and having` a flange 31 located' between the linger 24 and theiilaty end132 ofthe-cap 28, forms a convenient means for moving the releasing bar 22 against the action of the spring 27. Y

The shank is provided on one'ilat side thereof with Va groove 33 evtendinzg longitudinally and substantially throughout the length thereof.` The spring v1(5and the releasing bar 22 extend through this groove. At the end of this'groove toward the knife blade, a shoulder 34 is formed'for the purpose oi'locking the blade in a retracted po- Asition.

The operation is .as follows:

When in extended position, as shown in `Figs. 1 and 2, the blade is retained therein hythefshoulder 2O on the spring'l bearing against the inner end ofthe shank, as shown f iii Fig. 2, this shouldenbeing retainedin ,this position by the rib 23 on the vbar 22 "shearing against the. cam lug 21 on the spring'l'oas the bar 22 is forced upwardly .under the .action ofthe spring 27.

When itis desired that the. blade be retracted into the casing or handle 10, the knifeisrturned with .the .blade extending upwardly `and the buttonprojection 30 is pressed inwardly movingr the releasing bar 22 and carrying .the rib '23 4away from the .position behind v`the cam lug 21, as shown in Fig. '2, to the position shown in Fig. .3. VThis allows the spring` 16 to move over intocontact with thebar 22 carrying the shoulder 20 away fromthe end ofltheknifebla'de shank and allowsthe bladeto Slide;into the casing, the movement of t-hev blade being'limited by the end/of the shank strikingr against the spring support 2.6A Upon release of the button,

.the releasing har 22 is moved underthe action of the spring`27 and theend 18 of the spring 16 is movedagainst the shoulder '34 under the `camming action betweenthe rib 23. and thecam'lug21. It will thus'be seen the blade will he securelylocked within the casing. 'lllhen'itis desired to again useI the :knifel the casing is 'held .with the 'end con- 4 tainingthe'knife slot downward. Theproiecting button end 30 is lpressed .inwardly `shifting.the/bar22 to movethe rib 23 away from the camlug 21 to allow the springend '18 to move awavfrom A,the 4shoulder "34.to release'the knife blade. `When the 'blade is fully extended, release of the button allows thesnring 27 to shift-the bar 22 to causezthe 'members 23 and 21 to co-act to move 'the 'shoulder 20 in. vtro-nt *ofthev end ofthe blade shank to lock it in-thisposition.v

1t Vwillfhe apparent that the device is sim- .pl'e 4 in construction comprising `vfew parts and is,'gt'herefor.e. notliable to get outnf'order jlt-fwlll alsolbe apparent 'that-thejola'de -isjseoiljrely ,lGCld n-either its featen'ded for retracted position, but may'- beeasilyreleased from either of these positions fto allow movement to the other. Altho have illustrated .andxdescrihedsai knife blade in connection with the disclosure of my invention, itis not limited thereto as obviously various instruments may be employed instead of the knife blade, suoli as button-hooks, nail-files and so forth. i

Having thus setlforth the nature of .my invention, what I claim-is:

1. A device ofthe class described. comprising` a' tubular handle, an instrument provided with a shank guided to slide'within said handle and having v.longitudinallyY spaced shoulders thereon, a spring latchentending` l longitudinally within y. and secured to thehandle and provided with shoulders adaptedto co-act with'the shoulders on the linstrument shank to lock the same in either extended or retractediposition, and means uicluding a cam element operable from the exterior ofthe handle for controlling said .ed or retracted position.y and means including a cam element operable exteriorly Vof the handle to control kthe operation of said spring. n

ln a device' of the character described, a tubular handle.` an instrument guided within said handle and yadapted to moveto .an exposedvposition without lthehandle or to a concealed position within .the handle andhaving` longitudinally spaced shoulders.

a flat spring within the handle `secured Athereto and extending.longitudinally*thereof vand provided with stop shoulders'adapted to cooperate with the shoulderson.` the instrument to lock it in either the exposed vor concealed position. vand means for controlling action of said spring'including a cam 'element operable from. the exterior of the handle.

hln a device of the clmracter described.

atubular handle. au instrumen't.guided 'for sliding movement in saidhandle; a locking sprinsg'in the handle and adapted to lo'clrthe linstrument'in .either extended or retracted position. said spring' being'y secured to the handle and tending;` tol move to unlocking position. and .means for holding the spring in locking Vposition' comprising a Vslidahle bar.` (3o-acting cam elements-onthe spring and bani-andfineans operable 'lfromthe eX terior `of thehandlejfor sliding the 'bar to@ release 'the spring.

5. "In a device "ofithe fcharaoteriescrled,

a tubular handle, an instrument mounted to slide Within said handle, and providedl with longitudinally spaced shoulders, a locking spring secured Within the handle and pro vided with longitudinally spaced shoulders ,cooperating With the shouldersA on the instrume-ntto lock it ineither extended or retracted position, said spring being secured to the handle and tending to move tounloclring position, and means for retaining the spring in locking position comprising a barbetiveen the spring and inner Wall of the handle, cooperating cam element-s carried by the spring and bar and tending to move the spring to locking posit-iomfand means for reciprocat-y ing the bar comprising Va spring tending to move said bar to locking, position and a button extending to the exterior of the handle and adapted to move the bar against the action of the latter spring to release the locking spring.

6. In a device of the classdescribed, a tubular -handleI` an instrument having Ea shank fitted to slide Within said handle and provided With a longitudinal groove in one side thereof having longitudinally spaced shoulders, a locking spring in said groove secured to the handle and having longitudinally spaced shoulders co-acting with the first mentioned shoulders` to lock the instrument in either extended or retracted position, and means operable from the exterior of the handle and movable longitudinally thereof for controlling the operation of said locking spring.

7. In a device of the character described, a tubular handle. an instrument guided to slide in said handle and provided with longitudinally spaced shoulders, a locking member movable transversely of the handle and secured ythereto and providedv With longitudinally spaced shoulders coacting with the shoulders on the' instrument to lock itjin either extended or retracted position, and means for shifting said locking' member transversely of the handle comprising a bar shiftable longitudinally ofthe handle, and means for shifting the 'bar operable from the exterior of the handle. i

8. In a device of the character described, a tubular handle, an instrument guided to slide WithinV the handle, means. for locking the instrument in either an extended orretracted position, means Jfor controlling the locking means comprising a slidable bar extending longitudinally of the casing and bent at right angles at one end,a spring support Within thecasing, a spring bearin at opposite ends on said support and thev end of said bar, and a button operable from` Without the casing and bearing on said end of the baron the opposite side thereof 'lrom V the spring. 9. A device of the class described, com*- prising a tubular handle, an instrument provided With a shankguided to slide Within said handle, a single spring element extending longitudinally Within the handle and secured thereto, coacting mea-ns carried by the shank and spring element for locking the instrument in extended position, coacting means carried by the shank and spring element for locking the instrument in retracted position, yand means including a caml element operable from the exterior of the han-` dle for controlling the spring element.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

FRANZ VINCENT. 

